Just found this site as have been sponging to learn about this addictive machine I recently acquired. Never really even noticed these cars until I needed to buy a car for my teenaged kid and bought this on December 24th. I always viewed them as too small, but after driving one for the first time on December 23, I realized these don't feel small and have plenty power. Sad I was so blind to MINI because I have driven BMW's for 20 years, LOL. What I have quickly realized is how much of a bimmer this MCSC really is.

My 2008 cabrio has about 34,000 miles and has a few issues.

I am currently needing to get up to speed on the PDC to stop the annoying, blaring for 10 seconds every time the car is put into reverse and get it functioning properly. I'm also looking for some blind spot mirrors to make backing in crowded school parking lots safer. If anyone has suggested helps or recommended sites, please share, as I am eager to get this behind me--as I have a kid to teach the joys of manual transmission motoring.

Brer Hog

 

Welcome to the Mini world and NAM! I also live in Houston and while I am certainly no MC expert, I would enjoy making your acquaintance and helping wherever I could with maintenance issues....at least I could be a shoulder to cry on!

 

Congrats on the R52, yes they are similar in some design and attributes. I owned BMWa and MINIs, so I can see the similarities.

I have an R52 also. The PDC buzz and stop is a failed PDC sensor. They are color coded to the paint. You can put your ear when the car ( each rear PDC sensor) is turned and in reverse, without running the engine of course, listen to the ''Tick...tick " noise, which one is not making the sonar impulse is the bad one and will need replaced. Once they work when you put the car in reverse you will her a short beep. That way you now they are working.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-up-paint.html

 

Welcome Brer Hog! I'm in Austin and also having a blast with Minis! Might be down that way next week to look at an R52. Enjoy the car!

 

We've been R52 motoring fanatics for 9 years. You have fallen down a rabbit hole. You're familiar with BMW so you know these little guys need regular attention and proactive service. You will want to get either RaggTopp or 303 fabric guard for the canvas. Keep a can of Liquid Wrench dry lube on hand for the scissor joints when they start squeaking as you run the top up or down, don't use WD-40. To keep ours looking sharp I have been using Griot's Garage products from the get go and highly recommend them.
The most important thing to always remember though is this, topless motoring is motoring at it's best.
One other thing, makes all the difference in the world, keep your eye out for a R52 specific wind deflector. I found one on ebay.

 

Thanks Swiftycoop. I appreciate your kind offer.
Btw, The car came with a sticker in the windshield - Houston Mini Motoring somethin'other. Do you know anything about that or other local orgs? Just curious. Thanks.

 

Thanks ECSTuning. I've visited your site and maybe that is where I read about the sensor ticks, but didn't really follow well until now. Thanks for the clear explanation that the engine didn't need to be running. I had no success the other way. Lol. Appreciate the tips.

 

Cool and thanks! Hope it works out.

 

Fly'n Brick, Thanks for the tips. I'll do that as ragtop is currently in pretty decent shape and the lubes sound smart also. Thanks, I wondered about the availability of the fitted deflector. Sounds like they may be rare.

 

http://hmms.org/ The Houston Mini Motoring Society

 

Welcome to NAM, Brer!

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Welcome to NAM Brer,
They are fun cars, to say the least! Hope your new driver does well with the stick shift, as manual trans is part of the experience!
Congrats

 

Pretty cool club video. Looks like fun. Thanks, Swifty

 

Thanks. Words to live by!

 

Ha! That makes two of us. We've got some time and just learning to feather the clutch. At least one of us is having a blast so far. 😄

 

[QUOTE="Brer Hog;4269222"] Ha! That makes two of us. We've got some time and just learning to feather the clutch. At least one of us is having a blast so far. "Didn't like the smiley face".

 

Just want to say thanks for the above troubleshooting info. After identifying the faulty sensor I tore into the PDC issue last night and repaired this afternoon. Removed Phillips head screws on either side of trunk opening, popped off wheel arch trim, removed left corner Phillips head screw on lower bumper cladding and saw wires had been poorly spliced and yellow and green wires had pulled loose from butt couplers used to splice wire. Cut out bad and spliced in new wire with butt couplers, placed key in ignition and turned one notch, placing gear in reverse and walked behind bumper and speaker began chirping as I walked behind car. Heat-sealed and taped up wiring and replaced bumper and fasteners. PDC sensors activate when it detects a solid object about 6 feet away behind the bumper. Is that about the correct distance? Many thanks!

 

You are welcome. Yea , its very close on the PDC sonar for the early Generation MINIs. I have them on my R58 and the system seems to reach a foot further or so.

 

I found a basically unused BMW wind deflector. Didn't make as much difference as I expected. Maybe living in South Florida as something to do with it.